Dr. Katriona O'Sullivan:

I thank the joint committee for inviting me to give my views on job activation, views which have been framed by my experiences and those of my family and friends and, most recently, by my experience of education, academia and research and the impact it can have on a person’s life. I was long-term unemployed as a young mother and for many years was in receipt of the lone parent's allowance. I worked part time, often with cash-in-hand, for which I hope I will not be arrested, as a cleaner or a waitress in the early 2000s in Dublin 1. JobPath or JobBridge as it was at the time might have been ideal for a person like me. Had I taken up such a programme I would have been somewhat better off financially and perhaps my self-esteem might have been improved as I would have been seen to be contributing to the economy. There was a lot of criticism of lone parents in the early 2000s. Luckily for me, these programmes were not around and instead I was encouraged by those involved in some lovely community projects to think about returning to education which I had left at a very young age -15 years. The reasons for my lack of employment were far deeper than the availability of work. I had come from a welfare mindset and saw poorly paid jobs as a waste of time. If I was not going to get good money for the work I was doing, why do it was my mindset. I was also stuck in a child care trap. I was lucky enough to participate in the Trinity access programme, from which I graduated with a first-class honours degree in psychology. I now work as a lecturer in Maynooth University and as an associate researcher in Oxford University.

The reason I bring my story to the committee is that I want to ask it to consider the importance of allowing people to explore their potential, through education, alongside programmes such as JobPath. If I had taken that route, I definitely would not be earning my current salary and know that I would not be here speaking to the committee. I would probably be in a low paid service-based job and my sons who are now heading towards higher education and, it is to be hoped, well paid meaningful jobs would probably be heading into apprenticeships or unemployment. While I admire anyone who works in a trade, it seems unfair that only people in some quarters of society are destined to end up in trades or the JobPath programme, while others are allowed to accrue the full benefits of higher education which for me and many others like me has transformed my capacity to live and engage with the world.

I see the value in programmes which attempt to address the issue of joblessness. Many of my family and friends are still on the dole after many years and even with the increase in prosperity, there has been little shift in their progress. I do, however, wish to highlight the benefits of offering a full range of alternatives to those in long-term unemployment. Education is a key area where there can be both financial and personal benefits if people are supported correctly. There are certain groups among whom unemployment levels have historically been high and work schemes are less effective. For example, the rate of unemployment among lone parents is higher than it is for all persons aged 18 to 74 years and historically their participation in return to work or JobBridge programmes has been low. Similarly, prisoners are more likely to be unemployed and less likely to engage in employment programmes. However, these groups benefit specifically from access to higher education, with a growing body of evidence showing that providing offenders with access to education and training increases their employment opportunities, addresses their cognitive ability deficits and helps to reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Growing Up in Ireland research highlights the influence of parental education; it shows that a child’s well-being is directly linked with the education level of the mother and that education is an important influencer on the poverty level of the family, as well as the well-being of the children within it. Offering education as an alternative to long-term unemployment for mature students is particularly transformative and can impact on financial and personal well-being. Research shows that older graduates are almost 4% more likely to be in full-time employment six months after graduation than younger graduates and that the average starting salary for most mature graduates is 20% higher than for younger students. Graduates are also more likely to enter lower and higher professions, meaning that they are not only transforming their lives but also those of their families. Offering education may be a longer game, but in many cases it can have more of an impact and move people completely out of poverty.

While I am advocating for the offering of education as an option for the long-term unemployed, I do so with caution. Adequate support structures need to be put in place before we can fully embrace this option. Those who are looking to move into education, as opposed to a low paid job, are not provided for in the social welfare system. The choices are often to work or be educated and poor. In my work with the Trinity access programmes I have seen many students who cannot go to college because they left a bad low-paid job the year before and are now being told they cannot receive back-to-education allowance or SUSI support. We also see those entering university on access courses not being entitled to grants and financial assistance. Last year I met a student who had been called to a local job centre to justify studying ancient history and archaeology. Those in the centre wanted to know in what type of job this would result before they would support the person's move to the back-to-education allowance. We all know that a good education has the power to change a person’s life, yet we are making it very hard for people who need it to access it.

My final point concerns into what we are activating people. JobBridge should be a catalyst, not necessarily a destination. If people are being activated into surviving just above the poverty line, we are doing nothing for social mobility and failing to recognise that a good life is way more than being in a low paid job. We should be considering how the programmes should support people beyond employment and provide opportunities for development, especially in higher education.